In Maryland, there are no prehospital providers who use paralytics or
sedatives for RSI. I spoke with one of our paramedic/state troopers who
function as flight paramedics with the State helicopter program. He said
that they have been doing awake nasotracheal intubations frequently in
the last few months with outstanding results. Apparently the State
protocols will include RSI sometime in the near future.
The trooper/paramedics are often the first prehospital providers in
Maryland to perform procedures, so we watch them with some interest. More
to come in the near future.
Allen R. Walker, M.D.
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Johns Hopkins